Basics
The first thing you have to remember is that hair is drawn pretty much alike whether its straight, spiked, or even curly.
The only difference is if it has curves or none at all. Besides that, the trick to drawing hair is how your lines are drawn!
To draw hair that is believable, you have to draw the lines convincingly. To do this, you have to consider the width of a line in relation to another line.
Notice in the first picture on the top that the lines vary in width – wide at top and thinning down at the bottom. All hair pretty much abide by that rule except when you’re drawing dreds!
If you look at the other pictures, they pretty much work the same way. Long hair, short hair, etc. Curly hair, on the other hand is a bit different…
Wavy Hair -> Very Wavy -> Frizzy Hair -> Ringlets
Curly Hair Disected
Wavy hair works like drawing straight hair except with curves. Draw them in long continuous lines and don’t forget to draw in the curves while you’re at it. Make sure you vary the width’s between the lines.
Wavy hair works like drawing straight hair except with curves. Draw them in long continuous lines and don’t forget to draw in the curves while you’re at it. Make sure you vary the width’s between the lines.
Very wavy hair, on the other hand, is a bit different. In this case, the lines tend to be shorter and may start out of nowhere all of a sudden. Notice that there is not just one line or two but several – this emphasizes the curl and adds more volume to the hair.
Frizzy hair has a different trick to it. What you have to do is to create the base curly lines first. These will be the basic main lines on the hair that define how the hair is shaped. (Think outline!) From these basic lines you then add complementary lines that put more depth to the hair.
Take a look at the frizzy hair example – try to find the main base lines and the complementary lines beside them.
Ringlets, on the other hand, only requires that you draw the lines in a cylindrical fashion forming a sort of column. You have to consider that if you draw ringlets you have to make sure that it shows connection as it spirals down to the next curl.
More on RingletsHere are some samples of various ringlets. You’ll notice that at certain parts of the ringlet, there is a profusion of lines. These lines help accentuate the curve of the ringlet.
One major point you have to remember is that once you draw a ringlet in one direction – make sure you stick to it! This drawing below, for example, has ringlets going in two directions which completely ruins the picture. It confuses the viewer and it disrupts believability.
Test Yourself!
Take at the hair styles below: do you think you can draw them now? Try it out! (You can look at the other tutorials if you like…) =)
Take at the hair styles below: do you think you can draw them now? Try it out! (You can look at the other tutorials if you like…) =)
There are two types of hair: one that moves upward from the scalp and another that lies flat onto the scalp. Let’s start with the first type:
Hair Type 1: Up
This type of hair is stiff and tends to grow outwards from the head. Here is an example of what it looks like. It’s the kind that puff’s out. Below is a variant of this type of hair.
This type of hair is stiff and tends to grow outwards from the head. Here is an example of what it looks like. It’s the kind that puff’s out. Below is a variant of this type of hair.
Hair Type 2: Fine
The other hair type lies flat against the scalp, not moving away from the head as the first type. This is how it looks in the example’s above. It’s the kind that people usually show on those shampoo commercials.
The other hair type lies flat against the scalp, not moving away from the head as the first type. This is how it looks in the example’s above. It’s the kind that people usually show on those shampoo commercials.
BTW, if you didn’t get the idea first, you can mix these two types of hair to get some unique hairstyles.
Wind Blowing Up
Hair moves according to where and how strong the wind is blowing. In this instance, the wind is blowing up as indicated by the arrow.
Hair moves according to where and how strong the wind is blowing. In this instance, the wind is blowing up as indicated by the arrow.
The first example all the way on the left show wind blowing strongly causing the hair to go up pretty much straight. The other example to it’s right, though, shows a gently blowing wind. Notice the hair is more wavy and poofy rather than straight and thin.
The way hair is drawn is affected by what the character is wearing. The example all the way on the top right, for instance, has a ponytail. When wind is blowing, the band holds part of his hair down and the rest is being blown. Also, don’t forget to draw bangs affected by the wind!
This example on the right basically shows how short hair is affected by wind.
Wind Blowing Around
Wind, in this section, is moving around a character’s head, blowing right. The same rules will apply to wind blowing to the left as well.
Wind, in this section, is moving around a character’s head, blowing right. The same rules will apply to wind blowing to the left as well.
The first example at top shows hair being constrained from moving too freely with a circlet. On the other hand, the other example on top shows hair moving freely according to the winds direction. Again, remember to draw your bangs moving as well!
For short hair, the example to the right shows strong wind blowing that even the bangs are greatly affected by it! Some people prefer to separate the bangs and the hair behind it while others blend the two together. How you draw your character’s hair depends on you in the end.
Wind Blowing Directionally
If you didn’t notice in the other two pages, drawing hair will be the same in this case as well – this time, the character’s are just on a side view. To recap, hair flows freely but if something is keeping it down, make sure you draw your hair accordingly.
If you didn’t notice in the other two pages, drawing hair will be the same in this case as well – this time, the character’s are just on a side view. To recap, hair flows freely but if something is keeping it down, make sure you draw your hair accordingly.
If the wind was blowing in the same direction as the character was facing, the hair would be covering the face. The longer-haired guy would also have his hair wrapping around his neck and jaw.
Good Ole Gravity
Of course, you can’t have hair movement if you don’t have gravity included! Most hair, when no wind is blowing, will have a downward direction – duh! Just remember, hair can be moved by the character’s shoulder when bending down or the like.
Oh yeah, when there is no gravity, long hair just floats. You know, like the wavy hair up top? Except more wavy and spread out than just going up.
Of course, you can’t have hair movement if you don’t have gravity included! Most hair, when no wind is blowing, will have a downward direction – duh! Just remember, hair can be moved by the character’s shoulder when bending down or the like.
Oh yeah, when there is no gravity, long hair just floats. You know, like the wavy hair up top? Except more wavy and spread out than just going up.
Spike
Step 1
Decide which face view you’ll be drawing: Front, Side, Quarter, or Back.
Which direction will the hair will go? Left? Right? Up? Down? Angles? (Draw light arrows if you like)
What length do you want the hair? Short? Long? or Medium-length?
Decide which face view you’ll be drawing: Front, Side, Quarter, or Back.
Which direction will the hair will go? Left? Right? Up? Down? Angles? (Draw light arrows if you like)
What length do you want the hair? Short? Long? or Medium-length?
These examples here will touch on various aspects of what I’ve mentioned in the questions above. Notice they have different head views and different hair directions. They also have different lengths but you won’t really see that till the next page.
Anyways, once you decide on those questions above – on to the next step! (Click on picture for larger image, btw)
Step 2
To draw spiked hair, the lines come together to a point. Think of them as triangles or bent triangles in the case of the side view example. Remember: long hair = long pencil strokes; short hair = short pencil strokes.
To draw spiked hair, the lines come together to a point. Think of them as triangles or bent triangles in the case of the side view example. Remember: long hair = long pencil strokes; short hair = short pencil strokes.
Follow the examples to the right of the drawings for certain hair styles. Notice that some spikes are thick and some are not. Try to vary the thickness as much as possible to create interest.
On the quarter view; to draw the hairline just draw short lines and/or small triangles and “w”-like lines. Or draw one straight line of you prefer.
Step 3
Finish off the hair: add any extra details, jewelry, hair lines, shadows, etc. Ink the drawing and then erase the pencil lines after the ink has dried. You’re done!
Finish off the hair: add any extra details, jewelry, hair lines, shadows, etc. Ink the drawing and then erase the pencil lines after the ink has dried. You’re done!
Now, that wasn’t so bad was it? And don’t forget to experiment, practice, and have fun! Emphasis on “practice”. :)
Curly
Basics
There are four types of curly hair (from left to right): wavy, curly ends, frizzy, and ringlets. Each of these curly hair types have variations such as how curly it is to which end the hair curls – inwards or outwards. These variations depends on how you would like to make or present your character. The choice is yours.
The only thing to keep in mind when drawing curly hair is how you draw your curves. If you would like to draw wavy hair, for example, you wouldn’t draw very curly lines whereas if you drew frizzy hair, you would draw curves one after another. Ringlets, on the other hand, has another factor into it – you have to draw circles that, in the end, take on the shape of a cylinder or column. You have to keep in mind that the curl continues all the way downwards – make sure the ringlet connects as it spirals down, in other words.
Apart from these advice – practice makes perfect! Curly hair is one of the trickiest to draw – as I mentioned earlier – and the only way to perfect it is to practice.
To draw curly hair follow the steps below:
Decide which face view you’ll be drawing: Front, Side, Quarter, or Back.
Decide which face view you’ll be drawing: Front, Side, Quarter, or Back.
1. Which type of curly hair will you draw?
2. What length do you want the hair? Short? Long? or Medium-length?
3. Finish off the hair: add any extra details, jewelry, hair lines, shadows, etc.
4. Ink the drawing and then erase the pencil lines after the ink has dried.
(For a more detailed information on drawing hair, check out Hair: The Basics)
2. What length do you want the hair? Short? Long? or Medium-length?
3. Finish off the hair: add any extra details, jewelry, hair lines, shadows, etc.
4. Ink the drawing and then erase the pencil lines after the ink has dried.
(For a more detailed information on drawing hair, check out Hair: The Basics)
More Curly Hair
Here are some other examples of various types of curly hair. Notice the differences between each of these samples be it length, curliness, width, hair style (ribbons, for example), which end the hair curls, and even the gender of the character.
Here are some other examples of various types of curly hair. Notice the differences between each of these samples be it length, curliness, width, hair style (ribbons, for example), which end the hair curls, and even the gender of the character.
Remember, practice makes perfect! Keep trying till you “get it”. Good luck!
Straight
In this section, I’ll be explaining how to end straight hair. If you’d like to know how to draw straight hair, read the Hair Basics tutorial.
Lined up above are four drawing examples of how straight hair usually ends. The first is straight-lined. This is the kind that ends on a straight, clean line. All you need to do is draw a line at the end of the hair as shown in the close up at the bottom. The second type of straight hair ending is pointed. Pointed end just are that – pointed. They are pretty much “V” shaped and are usually curved.
The third example above and below shows how the first two types work on pony-tails and pig-tails. Pointed ended tails usually end in one point that looks like a fox tail or brush end. A straight-lined tail is the same as always.
The third type is open-ended hair. Open-ended hair is much like the straight-lined hair except it doesn’t have the defining line at the end. You just leave it as is! Pretty simple huh?
Bangs are one of the many styles a hair can have. Above, we have an example of how some bangs are drawn. This is where the hair moves up from the head and then goes down over the face or around it.
The first one is what I like to call the open bang. This takes up a majority of the forehead, usually making the bang go over to the side of the face instead of over it. The second example, on the other hand, only goes up at a little area of the head allowing the hair to cascade over the forehead and face. The second type can come together as close as you like.
You can think of it as opposite ends of the spectrum. Open bang on one end and close-knit bang on the other end. And everything else in the middle. :)
Here, we’ll take a closer look at hairstyles that have no bangs. Hey, gotta cover everything, you know. :)
There are basically two types you have to remember: lineless and pointed. Lineless refers to the first example above where the hairline doesn’t connect to anything. Well, in actuality it connects to the head but the hair lines themselves do not or rarely meet. Pointed, meanwhile, is when the lines do meet. The result is generally a point. Below are examples of how they would look like on a character.
There are basically two types you have to remember: lineless and pointed. Lineless refers to the first example above where the hairline doesn’t connect to anything. Well, in actuality it connects to the head but the hair lines themselves do not or rarely meet. Pointed, meanwhile, is when the lines do meet. The result is generally a point. Below are examples of how they would look like on a character.
Bangs can create a different look for the same character. Hair styles varies from straight to curly hair. Check out some samples below. Notice the mixture of some of the types covered previously.
Here are further examples of bangs. Notice that some bangs just hang from the head without the hair going up first.
Step 1OK, you’re thinking “What’s up with the braiding instructions?!?!”. Well, I think that you’d draw braids better if you knew how to braid. So use your own hair, wheedle someone to letting you braid their hair, or just look at the purty pictures…
First of all, separate the hair into three sections. Try to make them the same size as much as possible.
Step 2
Now, take the left most section of hair and cross it over the middle section.
Now, take the left most section of hair and cross it over the middle section.
Step 3Now, take the right most section of hair and cross it over the left most section, now the center.
Step 4Now take the center section, that is now the left section and cross it over the right section.
Step 5
Then, take the left section that was moved to the right and cross it over the middle section that went over the right section of hair. …If this sounds confusing just look at the pictures and see where each hair section is going.
Then, take the left section that was moved to the right and cross it over the middle section that went over the right section of hair. …If this sounds confusing just look at the pictures and see where each hair section is going.
Step 6 So just keep crossing one section of hair over the other until you run outta hair to braid. If you actually braided someone’s hair, you’ll notice that it’s pretty much one continuous line for each section.
So when you _are_ drawing braids, make sure that they actually connect with one another and not just drawn for the sake of it.
If you didn’t notice yet, braids are kinda tear or heart shaped. Oh yeah, you can simplify the braid and not add too many details if you want. Some braided hair examples are Hikaru from Rayearth, Miyuki from You’re Under Arrest!, and Ranma from Ranma 1/2.
Here are some examples of other ways braids can be put on the hair from very intricate to very simple drawing style.
Some more examples of how braids can be used on the hair!
1) Corn Rows – Mostly worn by black people with the occasional white actress/singer/athlete/ghetto girl sporting the look.
2) Mid-Braid – This braid starts at the front and stops at the top back of the head. I haven’t seen this hairstyle in about a decade but it’s been around for a long time!
3) Almost French Braid – I call this the “Almost French Braid” because a French braid begins all the way at the front of the head and continues to the back. This starts about mid-way. Notice the braids are a lot wider than a regular braid.
1) Corn Rows – Mostly worn by black people with the occasional white actress/singer/athlete/ghetto girl sporting the look.
2) Mid-Braid – This braid starts at the front and stops at the top back of the head. I haven’t seen this hairstyle in about a decade but it’s been around for a long time!
3) Almost French Braid – I call this the “Almost French Braid” because a French braid begins all the way at the front of the head and continues to the back. This starts about mid-way. Notice the braids are a lot wider than a regular braid.
Here’s some more tips on how to draw braids if the above instructions didn’t sink 
in..
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This example to the left shows the basics of drawing a braid at its side. Notice the shape of the braid is pretty much the same shape of a parallelogram repeated over and over.
The final image is just basically curved and has more hair lines added to it for a realistic effect.
The final image is just basically curved and has more hair lines added to it for a realistic effect.
To draw the hair as it turns to a braid, this is how it is done shown to the right. What happens is that there is three sections that form a “V” shape. One on each side and a smaller one in the middle.Then from that, the braid begins as shown. Braids are the same shape as well repeated over and over again. The only noticeable difference is the detailed lines of the hair.
Finish off a braid as shown in the example below. See the second drawing down below? That is the basic skeleton of a braid as it ends with an item to hold the braid in place. The last two images shows different ways of tying a braid – rubber band and beads. A ribbon can be used too.
